NSW Bus Observations 2022.

[Merc1107]

How many other 37 year old buses still earning their keep?

Private operators in Perth seem to have taken a great love to castaways from the Adelaide fleet over the years (I think Adelaide's buses had a very high-density seating layout by default); a great deal of the old O-Bahn O305s (and O305Gs) still going, although the number of B58s/B10s still operating has certainly dwindled more recently, but after over 40 years that can hardly be held against them!

[tonyp]

Artic running on 101 East Nowra today, not a school service, so it's going to be normal. Good to have buses with decent low floor for a change.

[ScaniaGrenda]

Port Stephens Coaches has another one of Ventura's 2003 Volvo B12BLE's, not currently on the fleet-lists for PSC. Former 2405AO is now with Port Stephens Coaches (Believe at their Sandgate Depot??) and is in the new PSC red, white / yellow livery (looks a lot like AdMet on the side). It is registered as m/o 9432 which use to belong to a B10M Austral that PSC use to have but not longer has in their fleet.

It was constantly running down Hunter Street on the Cruise ship shuttle today.

[743]

Changes in Orange and Griffith coming up.

https://transportnsw.info/news/2022/new ... e-griffith - changes to route numbers in both cities. Note the comment "There will be no changes to timetables or route paths.", but...

https://transportnsw.info/news/2022/bet ... for-orange - a full new bus network for Orange (well at least a substantially changed one from current) so in this case definitely changes to timetables and route paths. Network map included at that link.

[Linto63]

How many other 37 year old buses still earning their keep?

The last AEC Routemasters were nudging 50 when withdrawn from frontline service in London in the mid-2000s. Some were over 60, albeit heavily rebuilt, when withdrawn from a Transport for London heritage route in 2020. Some rebodied ex Adelaide and Sydney Leyland Worldmasters lasted over 40 years, while some ex State Transit Mercedes 0305 lasted deep into their 30s.

Private operators in Perth seem to have taken a great love to castaways from the Adelaide fleet over the years

WA much like NSW has no age restrictions for charter vehicles, while SA has a limit of 25 years, so WA has long been a destination for former Adelaide Metro buses.

[Merc1107]

WA much like NSW has no age restrictions for charter vehicles, while SA has a limit of 25 years, so WA has long been a destination for former Adelaide Metro buses.

The point was more along that lines that, compared to examples that spent their entire lives in Perth, similarly-aged expats from Adelaide seem to have held on. Perhaps the upkeep or original construction was better, maybe the acquisition costs were lower, the aforementioned seating config would be favourable to an operator (versus having to reconfigure the bus - although many have had the single door conversions anyway).

[tonyp]

The Nowra Coaches route services (bar 104) are now operated by artics. One each on the two town routes (101 and 106) and at least one on 102 to Bay and Basin. That leaves two other buses for school services, though there may be rostering of some buses to do both jobs, I haven't studied that. What a difference it makes to comfort and space. It might seem odd in a (large) country town, but there are 100,000 people in Shoalhaven altogether. I don't know the patronage for Nowra, but casual observation to me suggests that (excepting the Gong Shuttle and Dions), bus usage is significantly greater than in Wollongong where it's rare to see a bus carrying more than four or five people, even in peaks. Hopefully the new timetable will produce even more patronage in Nowra.

[Merc1107]

As mentioned upthread, Darwin's fleet was once 1/3 artic when its population was probably smaller than Nowra is now.

What are the service levels like relative to usage in Nowra?

[tonyp]

As mentioned upthread, Darwin's fleet was once 1/3 artic when its population was probably smaller than Nowra is now.

What are the service levels like relative to usage in Nowra?

Generally hourly headways now, compared to a few well-used buses a day previously. We'll have to see if it generates an increase in usage, not just spread the previous patronage thinly over more services.

[Swift]

When Australians basically idolise the motorcar, I wouldn't count on the patronage increasing unless they make it half hourly at least and the traffic gets like Sydney and they're driven out of them.

[Merc1107]

When Australians basically idolise the motorcar, I wouldn't count on the patronage increasing unless they make it half hourly at least and the traffic gets like Sydney and they're driven out of them.

While I'm often a martyr to the cause of public transport, I'd sooner take the hourly bus if it meant a service until late at night over something more frequent that falls off a cliff after X o'clock. It's disappointing that in many cities, it's assumed almost everyone will turn into a pumpkin by midnight (if not earlier) and no services run past then.

In spite of there being many (good) reasons to dislike the bus networks in Adelaide and Brisbane, both offer overnight services on at least one night per week (Brisbane doing two). Darwin, for all the drama that comes with catching a bus, even manage a few extras on the two more popular routes of a Fri or Sat night (although still finishing before midnight).

[tonyp]

When Australians basically idolise the motorcar, I wouldn't count on the patronage increasing unless they make it half hourly at least and the traffic gets like Sydney and they're driven out of them.

The new timetable has the ingredients for increasing patronage. Hourly in a country town is much better than a random few services and encourages people to use the bus, knowing that there are regular buses back. The other, almost more radical, development is that the services are much more pitched towards train services from early am to end of evening peak, starting up after 0500 to meet early trains. This caters to people going to work or other business/shopping in Wollongong (maybe Sydney at a stretch) and also counter-commuters coming to jobs in Nowra or to university at UOW Shoalhaven campus at West Nowra. It really is quite a big uplift and it should produce results - and there's definitely no shortage of bus capacity waiting for them!

[Gusbus]

The Nowra Coaches route services (bar 104) are now operated by artics. One each on the two town routes (101 and 106) and at least one on 102 to Bay and Basin. That leaves two other buses for school services, though there may be rostering of some buses to do both jobs, I haven't studied that. What a difference it makes to comfort and space. It might seem odd in a (large) country town, but there are 100,000 people in Shoalhaven altogether. I don't know the patronage for Nowra, but casual observation to me suggests that (excepting the Gong Shuttle and Dions), bus usage is significantly greater than in Wollongong where it's rare to see a bus carrying more than four or five people, even in peaks. Hopefully the new timetable will produce even more patronage in Nowra.

The use of the artics is driven by operational needs, also party caused by the fact that almost half the low floor DDA compliant buses Nowra Coaches have in the their fleet are artics. The large increase in services puts pressure on their small number of rigid low floor DDA compliant vehicles.
They operate as follows:
- one on the R101 for couple trips after the AM school peak and possibly prior to the PM school peak, due to bus availability. The artic comes straight off and/or goes straight on a school special that needs the capacity.
- one on the R102 for a couple of trips - the capacity of the artic is required to manage PM school loadings ex Vincentia HS. The second trip is a continuation of the block/shift.
- one on a R102X trip - the capacity of the artic is required to manage PM school loadings on the school bus before the R102 trip ex St Georges Basin PS.
- one on a R106 trip - follows on from a PM school special that needs the capacity.

[tonyp]

The use of the artics is driven by operational needs, also party caused by the fact that almost half the low floor DDA compliant buses Nowra Coaches have in the their fleet are artics. The large increase in services puts pressure on their small number of rigid low floor DDA compliant vehicles.
They operate as follows:
- one on the R101 for couple trips after the AM school peak and possibly prior to the PM school peak, due to bus availability. The artic comes straight off and/or goes straight on a school special that needs the capacity.
- one on the R102 for a couple of trips - the capacity of the artic is required to manage PM school loadings ex Vincentia HS. The second trip is a continuation of the block/shift.
- one on a R102X trip - the capacity of the artic is required to manage PM school loadings on the school bus before the R102 trip ex St Georges Basin PS.
- one on a R106 trip - follows on from a PM school special that needs the capacity.

Thanks. I was aware that the artics do both school runs at each end of the day and route services otherwise, plus the fact that some school runs with artics also double as route services. In the last few days I have observed artics running pm services on 101 and 102.

The artics, with about 12 metres of low floor, do make a fantastic difference to the comfort and functionality of the route buses, considering the number of mobility restricted passengers, retirees and parents with prams making up the passenger demographic. I would have thought they were the majority of accessible buses in the fleet. The only other ones I can think of are a new Custom Denning Endeavour, an old Bustech which I think has gone because I can't see it in Fleetlists any longer and two Scania CB80 Cargos which are about as useless as a parachute in a submarine for accessibility. It would be great to see some Custom Denning Elements in the fleet.

[ScaniaGrenda]

Recent observation for Port Stephens Coaches with their UON Shuttle.

m/o 9431 has been MIA for the past fortnight with it's position being filled in by m/o 8426, the other B5RLEH 8367 MO continues to operate the shuttle in tandem with m/o 8426.

[Stu]

The Transport NSW Info webpage that displays the details for the upcoming Sydney Running Festival had the downloadable ‘where to catch my bus’ network map removed due to being out of date (2019), the details on the bus page were up to date. The new map should be available next week.

Special event route X81 will be in operation for the Festival of The Winds event, timetable download available.

[Stonesourscotty]

One of the rail replacement buses at Penrith today is actually in a Rail replacement bus livery it's a Volgren single decker bus on National plates. Also noted where Ts 4866 8227 and 8095 making there debut trips into Penrith. Blue Mountains had 3706 on the Springwood Rail replacements with correct displays shown which is an unusual touch

8095 is also the first bus to wear the TFNSW mask livery to make it to Penrith.

[Fleet Lists]

Point 1 - like https://www.flickr.com/photos/193972346 ... 296813297/? this on a TV plae.

What is a mask livery?
8095 is listed as a Scania in standard TFNSW livery with Transit Systems at Kingsgrove.

[Paulgmelb]

I drove that domino hedges bus. Was a ripper. I drove it on the gladesille to chatswood service. Also I can't remember a route 87 but the 85 replaced the 141 doing top Ryde to Eastwood via herring and Mac uni.

[Fleet Lists]

What domino hedges bus are you referring to?

[Linto63]

Probably m/o/003

[Swift]

The hot rod as the drivers called it.
I caught it once and it was the first GM 2 stroke I really took to. I found it a novelty being in a regular bus instead of a luxury coach.

[stajourneyman]

From distant memory Walkers of Bendigo had a pair of these.
They were definitely quick off the lights.

[boronia]

There was a new desto update a few weeks back now for TJHB in Region 9. This update added a TJHB logo into the file alongside a number of other changes. It appeared timed for the City to Surf race the weekend before last.

Notable changes include
- 333 now once again shows a drowning swimmer on the Bondi Beach desto scroll
- 350 shows Domestic Airport instead of just Domestic, added Maroubra Jn and Mascot to via scroll in lieu of Maroubra Bch
- 356 added Queens Park to via scroll (first time Queens Park used on a desto?)
- 370 added Randwick and Green Square to via scrolls in lieu of Glebe Point Road
- 399 now shows Malabar Heights + Little Bay on outbound, adds then Express to City scroll for inbound trips that form 394Xs
-Express trips now show a via scroll rather than a first stop scroll on outbound trips

Some further observations recently:
- Buses NOT IN SERVICE show this on the rear screen rather than 000
- Buses DRIVER TRAINING showing an inverse L (black on white) on the rear screen.
- GREEN SQUARE destination also includes BOTANY RD on the bottom line scroll

[LB608]

CDC Group,is there a depot code for all the NSW buses,Huner Valley Buses have a few depots,is there code of off all those depots,or which bus is where?